AUTHOR: Goddess Isa
EMAIL: goddessisa@aol.com
SUMMARY: Giles's thoughts as he researches and tells Buffy things
SPOILER: The Weight Of The World
DISTRIBUTION: Sure, just email me & lmk where it's going - I like seeing my name in print =) Visit my site, http://planetslaythis.homestead.com
FEEDBACK: Please, I'd hate to have to Slay for it. =P
RATING: TV-PG
DISCLAIMER: Joss owns the stupid characters. Damn him. Damn WB for being too cheap to keep the show great. Damn UPN for ruining my dream of more crossover sex.
5/30/01
"The only way," I said slowly, gently, "Is to kill Dawn."
There was a collective gasp around me. Everyone had known what I was going to say--we'd all seen it coming from the beginning--but no one actually expected me to say it. Even Spike seemed thoroughly shocked that I'd said such horrible words.
But what else could I do?
I sit here with the Text of Anyanna in my hands, reading exactly what Glorificus has pledged to do for thousands of years. Each time she has failed and now, the one thing that stands between her and the end of the world is a fourteen-year-old girl who isn't real.
Dawn has no real knowledge of what's going to happen to her. I'm sure Glory must be taunting her, but she can't imagine...she couldn't possibly know.
And even if she could, why would she believe it?
Why would she believe anything other than that her big sister will come and save the day the way she always has?
It was Buffy who Angel revived after the Master killed her, Buffy who killed the only man she would ever love to save everyone else, Buffy who organized the students and saved the world yet again at Graduation.
And it would be Buffy, again, who would save the world tonight.
Only she wouldn't save Dawn.
The glare I'm receiving now from my Slayer is the most evil look I've ever seen in her eyes. It's terrifying for me. Why would she stare like that?
Why give me a Look as though *I* am the one she wishes to be killing?
I understand that she believes that Dawn is her sister. I also understand that if she doesn't kill Dawn, the entire world, including all of us, will die.
Doesn't she see that this hurts me as well?
Does she not know how I love Dawn, if even in a mind and world the monks created?
Does she not know that every memory, ever thought we associate with that girl is merely a fabrication?
And does she not, like me, share the hope that once she's gone, we'll all forget her, as though she never was?
It makes little sense now, but in the future....
"Tell me," she threatens, "Tell me to kill my sister."
"I have and I'll do it again," I remark. There is no other avenue. No other way to stop the ritual. Glory has Dawn and she is going to start the bleeding. There is nothing we can do.
Nothing, except pray, and tell our loved ones goodbye.
The determined look on my Slayer's face tells me that she isn't going to do what's right. This time she's going to play by her own rules.
And we are all going to pay the price.